Thank you so much for listening to this episode today. This episode is really just to express my gratitude and provide a conclusion update to everyone. It's a quick one, and I'm here to announce that I've decided to end this season of my life in podcasting. As a result, there will be no new episodes of the Finding Your Village podcast. However, all 137 episodes will remain available for you to listen to anytime as resources. I just want to take the time to say thank you. Thank you so much...

Thank you so much for listening, in today's episode, I'll be discussing the concept of being a "good enough" parent. This idea might be surprising to some, but it's an essential perspective that can help relieve the pressures and anxieties that often accompany parenthood. So, let's dive in. The term "good enough parent" was first introduced by British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott in the 1950s. The concept suggests that parents don't need to be perfect; instead, they simply need to provide a...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s episode, I interview Dr. Sam Rader, who is a former psychologist who took what she learned about childhood development, personality, and growth   and turned it into a new healing modality called Source Code. Source Code allows us to peel back the curtain on why we are the way we are, and what we can do about it. It helps us understand how our negative patterns get formed during childhood, and shows us that we can let go of our outdated defense...

 Today, I’ll be introducing a new preparation method that I have been working on for awhile now! I call it the LEAP Method and it is a four-component system for preparing to have a baby.  I have taught birth classes over the years, created pregnancy and postpartum content and worked with hundreds of birth and parenting professionals and my takeaway from all that work is that there are four main things that parents can do to prepare for the arrival of their new baby.Those four things became...

Today’s episode is a quick update on a small change that I'm making for a short period. I am switching to doing bi-weekly shows until my kids are back in school in the fall. The show will come out twice a month, every other Sunday. We have decided to have our son who's in preschool stay home with me for both the spring and summer. I have two little kids, four and six. My six-year-old will be home with me during the summer. However, it makes more sense for our four-year-old to stay home with...

Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about play therapy, a treatment modality for children experiencing emotional, behavioral, or adjustment issues. We discuss the benefits of play therapy, how to find a play therapist, and when it might be appropriate for your child. Our guest is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Doctor of Educational Psychology (EDD),  Lindsey Epstein Webster. Lindsey is a therapist who has been in practice now for 12 years. She specializes in...

In episode 128, we talked about the phases and stages of labor and we mainly focused on the mother’s experience. In today’s episode, we are going to focus more on the baby’s experience and what gets labor going. In this episode we discuss: What Starts Labor:The uterus goes through hormonal and physical changes to prepare for labor and delivery.The baby's maturing organs produce surfactant, which sends signals to start labor.Oxytocin hormone causes uterine contractions that lead to cervical...

Thank you so much for listening. Today I am talking to Heidi Mills about what we have been noticing on social media in the birth world. There is a lot of division between doulas and OBGYNs and/or clinicians and non-clinicians over spreading misinformation on social media. Heidi and talk about what we have noticed and how it can impact pregnant people.  Heidi Mills is a Certified Birth Doula, owner of Bloc Births LLC, and content creator at the handle "whatadoulado". As a hospital-based doula,...

Thank you so much for listening. Today I have invited a friend back to talk about why gentle parenting is so hard. Marisa Hughes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Reparenting and Parenting Coach and mom of 2. She specializes in trauma therapy and is certified in perinatal mental health. Marisa is passionate about helping moms reparent themselves so they can break generational cycles and parent their children with authenticity and intention. How to get in touch with...

Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about the transformation that happens when you become a parent and how that can impact your decision making abilities. Our guest to discuss this is Marin Laukka.  Marin Laukka is a decision coach and speaker with a Master's Degree in positive developmental psychology and certifications in budget coaching, life coaching, and yoga. As the business owner of Yes&, Marin passionately supports women with 1:1 and group coaching programs to...

In today’s episode, we are talking about the phases and stages of labor. What do I mean by phases and stages? There are four main stages of labor, these are the big catagories. Then within the first STAGE of labor, there are 3 phases within that. So I’ll start with an overview of the four main stages, then I’ll go into detail for each one. The first stage of labor is what most people think of when they of a person being in labor. It’s when a birthing person’s cervix dilates to 10...

In today’s short episode, we are kicking off season 6 of the podcast.  I am planning on getting more intentional about the podcast moving forward and trying to align my content into more of a topic based focus.  One thing I am thinking of incorporating is sharing birth stories. If this is something that interests you, I would love to hear from you. I have created a 60 second survey to go along with this episode, and it will be available in the show notes of this episode and on my website. If...

Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about communication between couples in the early days of parenting. Our guests to talk about this are Meagan and Jeremiah Conley. They are married with three kids and host a podcast, called The Minivan Years, that focuses on improving family relationships. This will be the last episode of Season 6! We are taking a short break for the holidays and will kick off Season 7 in early January. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New...

Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about baby wearing and our guest is Carly Flemming, who is one of the founders of the Fourth Trimester Foundations. They are registered nurses who found their passion working in the postpartum & newborn speciality. They met working at work and identified that most of their patients, especially the first time moms, were completely uninformed about what would happen to their own healing bodies after birth. They decided to change that...

Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about alternatives to screen time for toddlers and preschoolers. Our guest to talk about this today is Bradley Morris. Bradley is the founder of Majik Kids (alongside his son, Sauryn). His mission is to raise the Spiritometer on Planet Earth by spreading joy to the world via Majik Kids' magical audio stories, illustrated books, imagination meditations & music (the first ever Fair Trade Publishing company). To date, Bradley has written...

Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about healing trauma with Holographic Memory Resolution. Our guest to discuss this is Lenora Edwards, who was on the show a couple weeks ago. Our guest to talk about this Lenora Edwards and she is an ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist Resources for healing trauma: Holographic Memory ResolutionEMDRBooks mentioned in the episodeThe Body Keeps the ScoreWaking the TigerHow to get in touch with me:  Get the Postpartum Online...

Thank you so much for listening. Our guest today is Lou-Ann Wattley Belk. As the creator of Well Worth Watering, Lou-Ann's goal is to empower parents with soulfully-curated childbirth education classes and postpartum services that honor each unique birth journey. At the core of Well Worth Watering’s mission is the belief that the birthing year offers seeds of self-discovery that bloom for the rest of our parenting lives. She also believes in creating space for the telling and holding of...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about making speech therapy more affordable and accessible. Our guest to talk about this Lenora Edwards and she is an ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist working with Better Speech. She works with individuals of all ages from little toddlers and children who are learning to understand and express themselves. In this episode we discuss:  What speech pathology is and what a speech pathologist doesWhy early...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about why it is so important to vote in the midterm elections in the US, and how  you can do it even if you are a postpartum mom. Our guest to talk about this is Emily Tisch Sussman is a podcast host, women’s empowerment and family policy advocate, leading democratic political strategist, contributor to Marie Claire and Parents,  and mother of three. She  has made over 250 appearances on MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, HLN, and...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about a lesser discussed topic, which is Postpartum Psychosis. Our guest to discuss this is Megan MacCutcheon. Megan is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Perinatal Mental Health practitioner who helps overwhelmed moms find a sense of balance while raising young children. As a busy mom of three, Megan knows that motherhood is a juggling act. She loves teaching tools and strategies to help moms de-stress...

We are replaying one of my favorite episodes this week...my interview with Dr. Christy Matusiak discussing one of my favorite topics! In the episode today we are talking about approaching postpartum from a natural and holistic perspective. Dr. Christy Matusiak is a holistically-driven chiropractic physician practicing in Wilmette, IL.  She is writing a book, to be published by July 2021.  This is for the newly postpartum mother, struggling with finding herself and gaining the mental clarity...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be listening to Angela’s story about her journey to motherhood and how she found her village.  Angela is the founder and lead doula of Simply Potomac Postpartum, a company that utilizes a holistic wellness approach to all things postpartum. She strives to help mamas and their families function in harmony. With over 15 years of experience in the perinatal field, Angela created this company and its all-encompassing services to...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about using alchemical hypnotherapy to re-parent yourself.. Our guest today to discuss this is Debbie Unterman. Debbie Unterman has seen thousands of clients, and taught hundreds of students in the techniques of Alchemical Hypnotherapy, both at the Alchemical Hypnotherapy Association of Atlanta (AHAA!) and the Alchemy Institute in California. She describes herself as “a private eye for the soul” – helping people find...

Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about using a Mother’s Helper as a childcare alternative to a babysitter. Here to talk about this with me is Taran Conwell. Taran is a mom of 3 and she has utilized the help of a Mother’s Helper with her kids as an affordable childcare solution. She also hosts a podcast and writes a blog called the Undomestic Mom and she is on a mission to dismantle the watered-down version of self-care in today's motherhood. She...